Criminal Defence

Woodward Lawson are able to provide a high level of personal guidance throughout all forms of criminal prosecution in Aberdeen and elsewhere in Scotland. We provide expert representation in all types of criminal cases in the High Court, Sheriff or Justice of the Peace Courts.

Civil Litigation

Woodward Lawson represent clients in a broad range of civil court cases, both in the Sheriff Court and Court of Session.

Contractual Disputes

Contracts form the backbone of daily life in any business. Occasionally, difficulties arise in relation to what was actually agreed and disputes occur if one party does not do what the other expects them to do.

Guardianship & Incapacity

We have significant experience in relation to Guardianship applications both from the perspective of raising applications for Guardianship and also in opposing such applications in disputed cases. Ian Woodward-Nutt also regularly acts as a Court appointed reporter in relation to Guardianship cases.

Building Disputes

Whether you are a builder seeking payment for works which have run into difficulties or a client receiving possible defective building work, it is best to seek our advice at the earliest possible juncture.

Road Traffic Offences

Road Traffic Law forms part of the Criminal Law that is a broad and technically complicated area. If you have been charged by the police or have received papers intimating a criminal prosecution for an alleged road traffic offence, it is important to take advice from an experienced criminal defence lawyer at the earliest opportunity.

Debt Collection

Every business encounters debtors from time to time and this can seriously affect important cash flow. At Woodward Lawson, we provide a robust one-stop service from seven day letters to pursuing court action in the Sheriff Court and Court of Session.

Property & Boundary Disputes

Few aspects of life can cause such concern as a neighbour asserting rights over your land or preventing you from doing something on their land that you thought you had a right to do.

Family, Divorce & Children

The breakdown of a relationship, be it marriage, civil partnership or cohabitation, leads to all manner of financial worries and practical difficulties as the inevitable change in your personal circumstances occurs. This is especially so if there are children involved and major assets require to be divided.

Road Haulage Representation

Woodward Lawson are pleased to offer representation in all matters concerning road haulage and transport law.

Property & Boundary Disputes

We give knowledgeable and careful consideration of the circumstances and provide tailored advice

Few aspects of life can cause such concern as a neighbour asserting rights over your land or preventing you from doing something on their land that you thought you had a right to do.

Such disputes can take many forms including arguments over boundary lines, servitude rights for access and services like water, and buildings or walls which have encroached upon your land. Such matters are often unique, complex and emotive.

We give knowledgeable and careful consideration of the circumstances and provide advice on what can be achieved by way of negotiation, interdict or declarator of rights. If litigation is required by you or raised by the other party, we provide representation and guidance from start to finish in both the Sheriff Court and Court of Session to advance and protect your position.

If you are having problems with a Property & Boundary Dispute

Please call Philip Lawson on

01224 626299

to arrange a meeting to discuss your case.

We pride ourselves on helping you to make informed decisions regarding your case, so we make sure we communicate in everyday language and that you understand what is going on in your case.

Insight

News & Comment

A Lighter Side of Life – Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul – O2 Academy, Glasgow – 20th May, 2019

21 May 2019

Stevie Van Zandt, erstwhile stalwart of the Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band during its glory days from 1975 to 1984, and long term actor, mostly notably in The Sopranos, could never be accused of being understated when it comes to his occasional musical project, Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul. Resurrected in 2017, his...

A Lighter Side of Life – Fairport Convention at The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen – 18th May, 2019

Another side of the venerable Fairport Convention presents itself at the packed Lemon Tree on a Saturday night. There was a minimum of instruments on display, certainly no electric guitar and drum kit. All of it could easily be fitted into the back of small van. However, any suggestion that the band are going to...

Taking the Biscuit

17 July 2016

When it comes to commercial life, we are all familiar with logos and designs as trade marks. However, it is possible to register 3D shapes as trademarks as well although it might be more difficult to envisage what shapes might be successfully trade-marked. It does not stop some companies trying. Take a recent case between...

Citizen Journalism…Sometimes, it’s just not Cricket

08 July 2016

In this ever more connected world, it is easy to convey images and information instantly at the click of a button all around the world. That is no bad thing, and citizen journalism often provides a viewpoint that gives another insight into what has actually happened. At the same time, there is a legal difference...

Where There’s Smoke…

Imagine the situation. You have a fire at your premises. The Fire Brigade come out quickly and put it out. They do a visual inspection to satisfy themselves that it is extinguished. They go away. The fire re-ignites. Further fire damage is caused before the Fire Brigade can put it out for the second time....

Playing Catch Up – TV licences and the BBC iPlayer

17 March 2016

A TV licence is only required to watch programmes live or recorded as live. You do not require a TV licence if you are only using “catch up” services. You do not require a TV licence for live radio broadcasts. If you are watching live TV or recording live programmes, you will require a licence....

Wills in Scotland – Mum’s the Word

10 March 2016

Wills come in many shapes and forms. It is quite possible that quite informal writings can attain an importance which the person writing them may not have meant. 20 years after the commencement of The Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act, 1995, the common law still comes in handy. Section 7 (2) (c) of the Act...

Employees Beware!

03 March 2016

Under sections 1 and 5 of the Employer’s Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act, 1969, a director of a limited company should ensure that there is insurance in place should one of the company’s employees be injured. In the case of Campbell v Peter Gordon Joiners Limited and Peter Gordon (2015), the sole director of the building...

Cohabitation and Succession Rights – 3

25 February 2016

As will have been seen from the first and second of this series of articles, the present law appears to be of limited use to cohabitees. Of course, there are arguments to the effect that (i) if people wish to have more extensive and clear rights, they should get married or enter a civil partnership...

Scotch Whisky – Consumer Issues and Petition

22 February 2016

There are laws and regulations out there that we, as lawyers, become aware of which appear to be plain daft. The present EU regulations on promotion and marketing of spirits prohibit a Scotch whisky blender from disclosing the composition of their blends. In other words, they are unable to tell you, as the consumer, the...

Cohabitation and Succession Rights – 2

18 February 2016

Assuming that there might be sufficient net intestate estate to make an action in terms of the Family Law (Scotland) Act, 2006, the surviving cohabitee does encounter further difficulties. The fact that they are a proven cohabitee does not automatically entitle them to any award by the Court even if there is available net intestate...

Cohabitation and Succession Rights – 1

11 February 2016

At present, the Scottish Parliament is undertaking consultation and reform of the rights of succession on death. The present law in the area of cohabitation is governed by the Succession (Scotland) Act, 1964 in conjunction with section 29 of the relatively recent Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006. As we turn into 2016, this would appear...

Both Sides of the Tweed

28 May 2015

In a stark reminder that at least two different sets of laws and legal systems exist in the UK, in the recent tax case of Taylor Clark Leisure plc v HMRC, the Inner House of the Court of Session in Edinburgh decided that a QC from the English Bar did not have rights of audience...

Dog Controls

15 May 2015

Dog attacks are always of great concern, and none more so when they involve children. Scottish Borders Council sought an order under section 9(2) of the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act, 2010 for the delivery and destruction of a dog which had jumped up on a little girl and bitten her on the cheek. The...

Cultivating a Tenancy

14 May 2015

As a landlord, you may consider that the circumstances of some cases against miscreant tenants are cut and dried when you seek to obtain recovery of possession. Take the recent case of Glasgow Housing Association v Stewart. In this case, the tenant had breached the tenancy agreement by producing a controlled drug (cannabis plants) in...

Landlord Deposit Notices

12 May 2015

Although many landlords use professional factors to manage their properties, many others lease and factor residential properties themselves in order to save some outlays. The law in relation to the Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011 continues to develop, and shows the dangers of departures from the statutory framework even if unintentional. It should now...

Common Good for Whom?

20 April 2015

It is not unusual for councils to enter into arrangements with businesses. In a recent decision under s75(2) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1973, Aberdeenshire Council raised an application at Court seeking authority to sell ground in Banff forming part of the common good which had been used as a car park adjacent to...

Fair Weather Athletes?

16 April 2015

It has been a mild winter this year and that has meant that all us budding athletes (perhaps, overripe is a better description these days) have had no excuses for interrupting our running training. But, just when it seemed safe to go out, a case gives a reminder of the obligations on those brave souls...

Ian Woodward-Nutt – Solicitor Advocate with extended rights of audience before the High Court of Justiciary

15 July 2014

Ian Woodward-Nutt, founder and principal of court solicitors Woodward Lawson has been admitted as a Solicitor Advocate with extended rights of audience before the High Court of Justiciary. As a Solicitor Advocate Ian is now qualified to represent clients in the highest courts in Scotland and the UK. A solicitor advocate is a solicitor who...

Sociable Workers

15 April 2014

From Orkney Isles comes the recent case of Shields v Crossroads. The circumstances are that the pursuer became involved in an affair which came to an end. Nothing remotely unusual about that, you might say. However, the affair was with her social worker, and regrettably, as a result of its ending, the pursuer suffered serious...

Woodward Lawson Solicitors assessed by the Scottish Legal Aid Board

14 March 2014

Woodward Lawson Solicitors were recently assessed by the Scottish Legal Aid Board. Readers of our News Section will see that last year we were assessed in relation to our provision of services to clients in receipt of Criminal Legal Aid. All private law firms who carry out Legal Aid work require to submit a random...

Ian Woodward-Nutt to run the Balmoral 10K

31 January 2014

In a long-overdue effort to regain fitness after the excesses of the festive period, Ian Woodward-Nutt has undertaken to run the Balmoral 10K in support of Voluntary Services Aberdeen. For the uninitiated, the race is best known for its course which takes participants through the grounds of Balmoral Castle and includes an infamous 2K hill...

Winter Roads

15 November 2013

As winter fast approaches, a recently reported case is of interest. The case was one where a local authority were sued by the relatives of a deceased who had died whilst driving on a main road (a so-called Priority 1 route) between 5.35 and 6am one December. The evidence showed the accident occurred when the...

The End of Stamp Duty in Scotland?

28 September 2013

If only!Â Under the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (Scotland) Act which came into force on 31st July, 2013, the current UK tax on land and property transactions (SDLT) will no longer apply in Scotland from April, 2015. It will be replaced by the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT). Apart from having a comparatively...

Water Rights

04 September 2013

If you and your heritable predecessors have continually used a water source and pipe and storage system situated on your neighbours land for decades and it is the only active water supply to your property, you might consider that you have a servitude or legal right in that supply. Not necessarily so.Â In a recent...

Reviews of Criminal Legal Aid Cases

17 July 2013

Part of the criminal defence workload of this firm relates to cases where our involvement is funded by the Scottish Legal Aid Board.Â As a firm that carries out such work, we are required to subject the work that we carry out to occasional peer review.Â Effectively, this means that a selection of our closed...

Court Closure

12 May 2013

Further to our previous article on the proposed closure of Stonehaven Sheriff Court, it has now been announced that Stonehaven Sheriff Court will close as of May 2014. According to the Scottish Courts Service, Aberdeen Sheriff Court has sufficient capacity to accommodate both it’s own existing business together with the addition of the business presently...

Successful Appeal Against Decision of The Mental Health Tribunal Scotland

22 February 2013

Ian Woodward-Nutt recently represented a client before the Mental Health Tribunal Scotland in Aberdeen in relation to an Appeal against an Order detaining that client in hospital.Â Despite repeated requests by this office that the Mental Health Tribunal Scotland disclose to us paperwork relating to the Application, the Mental Health Tribunal Scotland refused or failed...

Court Closures

01 February 2013

The Scottish Court Service published at the end of 2012 its proposals for â€œrestructuringâ€ the Scottish Court Service. Amongst its proposals are a suggestion that eleven Sheriff Courts and eighteen JP Courts should close including Stonehaven Sheriff Court.Â Â Â Â The proposal has left many Court lawyers in the North East of Scotland concerned with regards to...

Changes To The Requirement For Corroboration

18 January 2013

For hundreds of years Scots Law has required that no-one be convicted of a crime in Scotland unless the Crown case is proven by corroborative evidence.Â Â Â In broad terms this means that for a Crown criminal prosecution to succeed there must be evidence from at least two, separate sources confirming that the accused committed the...